Follow-up after treatment for penile cancer

Follow-up after treatment is an important part of cancer care. Follow-up for penile cancer is often shared among the cancer specialists (oncologists), the surgeon, the urologist and your family doctor. Your healthcare team will work with you to decide on follow-up care to meet your needs.

Don’t wait until your next scheduled appointment to report any new symptoms and symptoms that don’t go away. Tell your healthcare team if you have:

any new growth on the penis

any new swelling of the penis

any new swelling in the groin

The chance that penile cancer will come back (recur) is greatest within the first year, so you will need close follow-up during this time.

Schedule for follow-up visits

Follow-up visits for penile cancer are usually scheduled:

every 3 to 6 months for the first 2 years

every 6 to 12 months for the next 3 years

Men who have had treatments that didn’t involve removing the penis should be followed for longer than 5 years.

During follow-up visits

During a follow-up visit, your healthcare team will usually ask questions about the side effects of treatment and how you’re coping.